That was the message when ‘Your Waverley’s’ Executive considered the way forward for greater collaboration with Guildford Borough Council.

As councils across the country grapple with falling Government funding and, in some cases, bankruptcy, Waverley & Guildford want to take a giant step to move closer together.

Will Waverley leaders take the next step to join forces with Guildford?

The two authorities – Guildford cash-strapped – and Waverley not complacent about future financial pressures – want councillors’ backing to move closer to their Guildford colleagues by sharing staff and a headquarters.

They already share a Chief Executive Officer and collaborate on most council business – saving money and overheads. Although losing CEO Tom Horwood for health reasons, Waverley’s Leader was buoyant when he said there had been a more than healthy response from applicants for the job. A shortlist was compiled, and interviews would begin on Wednesday.

However, many councillors have concerns, mainly in the Tory ranks, but others too. Unfortunately, the WW could not understand the question posed by Cllr Beaman due to a webcast glitch.

Retiring Deputy Leader Peter Clark said it was exciting doing things better, and savings of a million pounds was only part of the benefit of working with their Guildford colleagues.

He warned:

It is going to get tougher year on year without support coming from elsewhere.

Cllr Liz Townsend. Referred everyone to the council’s original objectives, saying

We are a progressive council, and we are not frightened of collaboration; we don’t want to be isolated. We are proud to be able to provide better services to our residents. If we can do more together it is something we have a responsibility to do.

Mark Merryweather, the portfolio holder for finance, said the financials are not just about value; it is about price and productivity and how to improve them. 

Earlier, he told his colleagues that the finance team had been scouring the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement for any basic information we would expect local authorities, like Waverley, to be given in order to plan ahead. 

Sadly, scouring in vain as usual, however, underpinning what the Chancellor did announce was a 19.1 billion pound real terms cut in public spending as unfunded cost inflation decelerates but still persists. But there was a deafening silence on so much else. Including the funding settlement controlled by the centre, which enables local authorities like us need to plan our budgets for next year and beyond.

A clip of the debate and the unanimous decision to move forward with the collaboration will follow.   The full council must ratify the decision, which meets on 12 December.